Right here, right now. Happy Day 112 of this year 2021. Here we are, it’s Rebellion time. Step five and last step, “Do it with purpose be fearless, regret nothing, there is only one solution: to stand and fight.” As I’m writing those words, we are a day away from a historic Impact Wrestling PPV (sorry, personal issues prevented me from doing it earlier). If you’re so Rebellion, “Do it with purpose be fearless, regret nothing, there is only one solution: to stand and fight.” Step five and last of the series, forget about fear, fight as if your life was depending on it. Right here, right now, this week is the final IMPACT before Rebellion. And we know what it means…
On the menu, from Nashville, Tennessee, Eddie Edwards will face off one-ACL-only Eric Young. Jake Something will square off with Shera. The Good Brothers will compete against Decay. Tenille Dashwood will strike a pose before Susan takes care of her. Of course, I’ll review this episode, but I will use it as a platform to preview the PPV and give you my predictions, I hope with this Nutcracking spirit you love so much. So no more words, let’s get ready for some action, but your French Nygma Steph way, of course…

The Nygma’s Chart of the Week

Many hype videos on ‘Rebellion’ matches I chose not to relate here (you’ll find them on Twitter or at the end of this review). On ‘Before The Impact’, Petey Williams defeated Madman Fulton and Fallah Bahh. 

  • The Good Brothers defeated Decay w/ Rosemary. After the match, The Good Brothers took a moment to thank FinJuice for bringing this fire out of them. They were looking forward to reclaiming their titles on Sunday.
  • Matt Cardona, Trey Miguel, Shera, Gia Miller and James Storm think Rich Swann will bring home the AEW World Championship, as well as retain the Impact World Championship.

  • Violent By Design was gearing up for their 8-man match at Rebellion. Eric Young reiterated that the world does not belong to guys like James Storm. It belongs to VBD.

  • Tenille Dashwood w/ Kaleb with a K defeated Susan. After the match, Tenille Dashwood asked the Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo if she just saw her annihilate her friend. She invited Purrazzo into the ring. As Purrazzo made her way in, Tenille informed the champion if it weren’t for her, “The Age of Virtuosa,” or the Knockouts division for that matter, would exist. Tenille promised she’ll change Purrazzo’s championship status on Sunday. “What’s bigger than you? Me.” Purrazzo stormed out of the ring.
  • Backstage, Brian Myers took his blindfold off and said he can see right through his former friend, Matt Cardona. He is ready to conclude their decade-long rivalry.

  • Havok said she sees Rich Swann winning the main event on Sunday, Rohit Raju added Swann is money and he is standing by his roots. The Good Brothers believe Kenny Omega will be the new face that runs Impact.
  • From somewhere only he knows, Sami Callihan said he tried to take Trey Miguel under his wing ever since he came back to Impact. Now that Trey has rejected Callihan’s offer, all hell will break loose in their Last Man Standing match on Sunday. Callihan guaranteed that after their match, Trey will never walk again.

  • Shera w/ Rohit Raju defeated Jake Something, with a little help from Rohit.
  • Everyone at Trey’s wrestling school was rooting for him to prevail over Sami Callihan. Trey was shown working out and going off in the gym.

  • Video package for the X-Division Three-Way Match at Rebellion.

  • Rich Swann came to the ring with the TNA and IMPACT belts. Swann went back to last week where he went to shake Omega’s hand but was slapped. Swann spoke with aggression and invited him out here to do it again. Callis and Omega appeared on the screen, promising to appear every week when he wins the strap. Omega talked about possessing four belts at once and warned him one last time. Out of nowhere, Moose appeared in a suit for the first time since Sacrifice. Moose reminded Swann that he hurt him and is more dangerous than Kenny Omega. Moose wished him luck and warned him not to lose those titles, or else he will make him pay for it.

  • Deonna Purrazzo, Josh Alexander and Willie Mack are rooting for Rich Swann to bring home all the gold on Sunday.
  • Taylor Wilde new return vignette.

  • From Japan, a message from the IMPACT World Tag team Champions, FinJuice.

  • Jordynne Grace defeated Kiera Hogan by DQ when Tasha Steelz interfered. Rachael Ellering stormed the ring, taking out Fire ‘N Flava. She will be Jordynne partner at Rebellion.
  • Eric Young w/ Deaner, Rhino and Joe Doering defeated Eddie Edwards w/ Chris Sabin, Willie Mack and James Storm. Big brawl after the match.

The Nygma’s Noticeable Fact(s) of the Week

– Making history… Team Swann or Team Omega?

Don’t say, Team Swann, say Team Impact Wrestling. There’s not one wrestler in the Impact Wrestling locker room, and the video below demonstrates it, who is going against a fact each and every one of them has been saying over and over in interviews or media calls. Impact Wrestling is a family.

– Eric Young

That’s another forbidden door to break when you acknowledge what your peers mean to you. I wish Eric Young to come back stronger than ever, more evil than ever. He still has so many wrestlers to compete against, advice and leadership to spread among the talents.

– What’s next?

It has been a sentence that I typed probably every week since this cross-promotional thing started. What’s next? I tried to avoid answering it because the “right here, right now” was easier to. Then, everything we know after this Fallout is we know nothing. Usually, the Fallout episode is a moment when new feuds emerge, the ones that will be developed in the episodes after. This episode told us barely anything about that, excepted the return of Rachael Ellering as Jordynne Grace’s partner. Taylor Wilde will soon be back on the Impact Zone and Deonna Purrazzo is at the top of her setlist. What’s going to happen to Violent By Design without Eric Young? What about the AEW and IMPACT World Championships? The next episodes will be taped after Rebellion so nothing, right now, allows anyone to say this will continue or not. All we know at this very moment is there will be a PPV on Sunday and a new episode next Thursday. I fear this moment like never before…

Impact Wrestling’s Rebellion Preview, Stakes and Predictions

Rebellion sounds strange as a PPV name when you think Impact Wrestling have to deal with NJPW and AEW. When you feel FinJuice have done a respectful job with the belts, they will only defend it for the first time in a few months. When AEW was invading IMPACT, never an IMPACT guy was allowed to invade Dynamite. Excepted The Good Brothers, but that’s another story. Over the last few months, the equilibrium has been broken, IMPACT has tried to keep its identity despite the vultures waiting for the first mistake.
No question surrounds that PPV. Just a threat. Is it the beginning of an era or the end of it? Will Roxanne have to put on the red light? When I talked to Rich Swann earlier this match, I stated to him how the match has become so huge it made me think of the legendary Tyson vs Holyfield boxing matches. Special announcer, special referee, AEW President/head booker/head writer/CEO Tony Khan there. Other matches in the history of this business made me thrill way more than this one, I mean the consequences of it…
Talking about this match only would be an insult to the IMPACT roster because, if you look at the rest of the card, it’s 100% Impact Wrestling. X-Division, Knockouts, Last Man Standing, new talents. And that’s wonderful because no other company can mix that cocktail better than Impact Wrestling. So, shaken or stirred?
Like I’m used to saying, every Impact Wrestling PPV is a do-or-die one. The COVID have made Impact Wrestling an even bigger place than it was before. Talents are knocking at the Management’s door to come. The Impact Zone is the place to be yourself.
I will say what I’m used to saying, I genuinely want a PPV like Impact Wrestling can do, with good, great and awesome matches. What I absolutely don’t want is to tell you, on Sunday night, “I told you” or “I saw it coming”. Let’s scrutinize this card and see what may happen (my crystal ball is moodier than me)…

Brian Myers vs Matt Cardona

Eighteen years of friendship that has transcended promotions and time is on the line in his match. Matt Cardona and Brian Myers are two incredibly valuable assets for the company but it makes one happier than the other. The former Edgeheads are like competing for a leadership none of them has. Myers’ “Professional Methods” has given a bad image of him as a player of the game when Cardona tried to become a member of the family, working with Jake Something or Eddie Edwards. Myers declared that Impact was his promotion and that Cardona had followed him to live off his success, Myers made it clear it wasn’t going to be long before the two clashed. The question is, will it very professional the Myers way or the Cardona way?

The Nygma’s Crystal Ball says… Matt Cardona

Violent by Design (??, Joe Doering, Rhino & Deaner) vs Willie Mack, Chris Sabin, Cowboy James Storm & Eddie Edwards

Eric Young’s band of thugs have run rampant over Impact Wrestling, righteously declaring they are ridding Impact of a disease that has infected the company all the way to its very soul. Some of Impact’s most celebrated combatants have forged a union to eradicate Violent by Design. The very classic “good vs bad” clash that at, Hardcore Justice, Violent by Design won. The major question here is who to replace Eric Young? Did he have the time to name a temporary leader and welcome a new wrestler to his Church? I have a few ideas on who it could be…

The Nygma’s Crystal Ball says… Willie Mack, Chris Sabin, Cowboy James Storm & Eddie Edwards

* Last Man Standing Match: Trey Miguel vs Sami Callihan

Since Trey Miguel has returned to Impact Wrestling, Sami Callihan has questioned his heart and passion. Despite Callihan’s claims that Miguel cannot stand alone, Trey has ignored his attempts to bring him under his mentorship. This Last Man Standing match may indeed prove to be Trey’s greatest victory as Callihan attempts to put him down for the count. However, if Callihan emerges victorious, the real question isn’t what’s next for Miguel but whether Callihan was telling the truth all along…

The Nygma’s Crystal Ball says… Sami Callihan

* IMPACT Knockouts Tag Team Championship Match: Tasha Steelz & Kiera Hogan (c) vs Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering

Since Hard to Kill, Tasha and Kiera have cheated their way to retain the titles. They broke the team of Havok and Nevaeh, making her doubt herself. After Tasha Steelz and Kiera Hogan disrespected Jazz’s retirement ceremony on Impact on AXS, fans around the world saw Jazz have an unannounced final bout where she and Grace quickly dispatched the Knockouts Tag Team Champions. While that earned them a Rebellion Championship opportunity, Jazz remained true to her word as an athlete and indeed retired, promising Grace a farewell gift of a mystery partner. Rachael Ellering is as a powerhouse as Jordynne Grace is, and an opponent Tasha and Kiera cannot prepare for.

The Nygma’s Crystal Ball says… And new, Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering

* IMPACT X-Division Championship 3-Way Match: Ace Austin (c) vs TJP vs Josh Alexander

Since the beginning of the year, the X-Division has provided us with some unforgettable matches. If Ace Austin, Chris Bey, Rohit Raju and TJP have remained on top of the game, we felt the blow of Chris Bey being injured. And we have seen a new face emerge in Josh Alexander. Now on his own, he has shown the world he has everything to become the X-Division Champion. With three natural competitors in the prime of their career seeking to all prove their mettle and lay claim to being the X-Division Champion, their recent series of show-stealing matches on Impact Wrestling on AXS may see the entire bar raised for all of Impact Wrestling and beyond. The X-Division is magic, so has to be its Champion.

The Nygma’s Crystal Ball says… And new, Josh Alexander, excepted if Ace Austin cashes in his X-Cup opportunity

* IMPACT Knockouts Championship Match: Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs. Tenille Dashwood

Tenille Dashwood’s only asset is Kaleb with a K. Too much time under the spotlight has prevented her from being taken seriously. Something Deonna Purrazzo understood perfectly. The 2-time Knockouts Champion and first-ever IMPACT Iron Woman just retired the legendary Jazz. This match, in a sense, has no interest because someone else is waiting in the locker room to reclaim a gold she has been waiting for at least a decade. Forget Tenille, let’s get Wilde…

The Nygma’s Crystal Ball says… And still, Deonna Purrazzo, but don’t forget the IMPACT after the PPV…

* IMPACT World Tag Team Championship Match: FinJuice (c) vs The Good Brothers

Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson had everything going their way since arriving at Slammiversary 2020 until David Finlay and Juice Robinson landed in Impact Wrestling, The Good Brothers wrongfully assumed their history with FinJuice in New Japan Pro Wrestling would continue and the younger stars would acquiesce to the veterans. That was not the case, FinJuice became Champions, the rematch was set but FinJuice were back touring for New Japan. All of this left Gallows and Anderson overflowing with anger. If FinJuice intend to return to Japan with the Tag Team Championships again, they are going to have to enter Rebellion prepared to fight for their lives as The Good Brothers are willing to destroy them to regain their titles and bring the flow of good fortune back to them.

The Nygma’s Crystal Ball says… And still, FinJuice

Special Announcer: Mauro Ranallo – Special Referee: Aubrey Edwards – Title vs Title Match: IMPACT World Champion Rich Swann vs AEW World Champion Kenny Omega

What can I add? David vs Goliath? Tyson vs Holyfield? Two belts for one man? So much have been said (see below This Is Rebellion documentary) about this match. I will just say if Omega has 3 people by his side, Swann will have a whole roster with him. That could make a huge difference.
To make History, you need to compile histories and make them work together as a whole. Tiny details sometimes have more value than the fact or the person. Look around, you will find the keys that will make you understand what’s inside.

The Nygma’s Crystal Ball says… And still and new, Rich Swann

 

To be eNYGMAtic…

It was exactly what you can expect from a Fallout episode, the tension increasing, feuds at their maximum, the company did an excellent job with this episode. I already told you so much I think there’s no need to tell you more. I hope I will see many of you at Rebellion CELL-ebration. Don’t miss the Rebellion review on Monday night. Impact Wrestling will tap some new episodes soon, still from Nashville. Next week, I have no clue what’s going to happen, who will be the Champion of which promotion, which promotion I will be writing on.
What could I add? I talked to Rich Swann and Josh Alexander not so long ago, enjoy these interviews. Follow me on @FrenchNygma and react to the reviews and interviews. Every like, every word is gold. On this very “Nygma is Team Impact Wrestling” note, until Rebellion, until next week, never EVER forget to stay #eNYGMAtic…

 

All pics, videos, and screenshots courtesy of Impact Wrestling and AXS TV. Photocollage by @frenchnygma exclusively for @steelchairmag.

By Steph Franchomme

News, Reviews, Social Media Editor, Impact Wrestling Reviewer, Interviewer Well, call me The Boss... And French...

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